


What Happens Next?

by Fangirl061012



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Post Season 3, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-16 17:56:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl061012/pseuds/Fangirl061012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke was surprised to be sitting in Kane’s office. Since taking down the City of Light she had been enjoying getting back to a simpler life. That was the agreement she made with her mother after everything. She had had the weight of the world on her shoulders since landing on earth, it was her turn to be normal. Well as normal as you can be if you were born in space, committed genocide, and saved the coalition from a wonky AI.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I am not a writer. Creative writing has never been my thing. However, after reading a terrible book that was fully published, I feel like if they could get paid to write this, I could try to write what floats around in my head half of the time...there may have been wine involved...
> 
> First time posting and no beta. Be prepared for grammatical and spelling errors.

Clarke was surprised to be sitting in Kane’s office. Since taking down the City of Light she had been enjoying getting back to a simpler life. That was the agreement she made with her mother after everything. She had had the weight of the world on her shoulders since landing on earth, it was her turn to be normal. Well as normal as you can be if you were born in space, committed genocide, and saved the coalition from a wonky AI. 

The deal was, let Kane, Abby, and the Coalition set things back to right and she tries to remember who she is. It’s been hard, everyone referring to her as Wanheda, bringer of death. It’s difficult to imagine she is still only 19 years old. She hasn’t even been alive for two decades and she has already brought so much death to this planet. 

Clarke closes her eyes for a second and tries to push the thoughts out of her head. 

Since returning from Polis, she has gone back to what she used to do on the Ark; studying medicine from her mother and Jackson and drawing. Oh how she had missed drawing. It was one of her favorite methods of relaxing when she lived on the Ark. Put a pencil in her hand and paper in front of her and she could make scenes come alive. Nothing in the world mattered when she drew, every stressor, every frustration would just fade away into peace. 

She really wishes she had her charcoal with her right now. Everything about Kane’s office screams stress. The papers piled everywhere, creating a sense of unorganized chaos. Hopefully she doesn’t have to be in here too long. 

She hears a knock on the door and sees Bellamy peak in with a confused look. 

“I was told to report to Kane’s office” he said.

“Me, too. Any idea what is going on?”

He shrugs and takes a seat. The two of them wait in comfortable silence. Since returning from Polis Bellamy and Clarke have found peace in each other’s company. It’s a simple platonic peace, something you share when you’ve been to hell and back with someone. No need to fill the air with frivolous words when you can simply be. 

Clarke glances over at Bellamy and sees how relaxed he seems to be. The haunted look he’s had since the massacre lead by Pike appears to be slowly seeping away. It’s not completely gone, but almost. She realizes the tension will never completely go away as long as his sister, Octavia, continues to avoid Arkadia and her brother. Clarke hated seeing Bellamy so sad, but she understood why Octavia couldn’t return. Too many painful memories of her true love are in this camp. 

Eventually, Kane comes into his office. He looks distracted and slightly surprised to see Clarke and Bellamy waiting for him. After a second of confusion he visibly shakes his head, almost as if he were clearing out the cobwebs, and regains his focus. 

Sitting across from the two of them, Kane is starting to look like a more relaxed version of his former self. Gone was the strict, no holds barred, Vice Chancellor Clarke saw on the Ark. Instead, here was a politician who seemed happy and content with who he is, who he’s become. She knows her mother has something to do with it, but tries not to think about it too much. It’s just a little weird. 

“Thank you both for meeting with me,” said Kane, “As both of you know, we recently had an election for Chancellor of Arkadia.”

Both Bellamy and Clarke nod when he pauses. It wasn’t too hard to imagine who would win the election. Either Kane or Clarke’s mother, Abby, were going to win. They were running against each other, not that either of them actually campaigned for the position. They were simply the only two left from the old council. Plus, the last time someone who had never served on the council was elected they almost were wiped off the map. Thanks Pike. 

“Well the results are in,” Kane continues, “and I’ve been elected. My swearing in will take place this evening.”

Both Clarke and Bellamy take a moment to read Kane’s expression. It was unclear prior to the election if he really wanted the position. Old Kane from the Ark, absolutely, but this 2.0 version sitting in front of them was more of a politician. Always trying to broker peace. 

After a moment of hesitation, both Clarke and Bellamy mumble a “congratulations”.  
“I would like to use my swearing in to announce who will be named as Ambassador to the Coalition. As you know, Luna has taken the role of Commander and the twelve clans seem to support her ascension. She is putting our joining the group back on the table.” 

Kane takes a moment to look at both Clarke and Bellamy before zeroing in on Clarke alone.

“Clarke, I want you to be our Ambassador. You were in Polis with the last Commander and you know the players at the table. While many of us,” he glances at Bellamy,” acted as if you abandoned us, I know you spent your time there wisely trying to save Arkadia from a war we could not win.”

Clarke all of a sudden felt as if she couldn’t breathe. The pressure she thought had been lifted off her shoulders was suddenly back with more force and heft than before. What happened to her deal with Abby? What happened to letting everyone else take care of things for a change? When was she going to be allowed to be 19?

Kane must have read her expression. “I know the deal you and your mother made. We both discussed the appointment extensively before and after the vote took place. The fact of the matter is, there is no one else.”

Bellamy takes a glance at Kane and clears his throat. “What about the reactors?”  
He is referring to the death sentence Clarke received from the AI Allie while she was in the City of Light. The one saying within six months only 4% of the earth will be livable because several nuclear reactors were about to go…well nuclear. 

“The Coalition and our top scientists are working on a resolution. That’s why it’s so important the right person serves as our Ambassador. We need someone who can negotiate our entry into the Coalition and coordinate the sharing of information so we all have a future. It’s going to take finesse, something not many of us have when it comes to the Grounders.”

Kane takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair. Something he only does when frustrated. 

“Clarke, you can say no. I wish you wouldn’t but you do have a choice. I just need your answer in twelve hours, before I’m sworn in.”

Clarke takes a calming breath and looks at Bellamy before looking back at Kane. “Was there something else?”

Kane, picking up on her unasked question, looks directly at Bellamy. “Guard Blake, if Clarke chooses to take this position, you will be her security detail.”

Clarke jumps up from her chair indignant. “You’re giving me a choice, why not him as well?”

“Clarke, it’s okay.” Bellamy says, “It’s a direct order from the Chancellor. I don’t get to have a choice, even if I wanted one.”

Clarke glares at Kane again. “Really? You haven’t even been sworn in yet and you’re already ordering people around? I thought you were better than this!”

Kane takes another deep breath. “Clarke, the Commander is opposed to violence and has limited the security detail for all of the Ambassadors to one guard per person. She wants to see peace around her and feels it can’t be done when there are 13 Ambassadors and 50 bodyguards surrounding them. Besides, if I’ve learned anything over the past two years, you and Bellamy are stronger together than apart.”

Kane’s face has a hint of a smile. Almost as if he knows something the two of them don’t. 

“Twelve hours, Clarke. I need your decision.”

With that, Clarke and Bellamy were dismissed. She could still feel the weight of the world slowly starting to crush her again. Bellamy looks at her with pitying and questioning eyes. 

“I can’t do this right now. I need…I just need…to be anywhere but here.” 

“Do you want to go for a walk? Clear your head?” he asks.

“I think I just need to be alone for a bit.” She responds before turning her back and walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke is still reeling from Kane's request to serve as Ambassador. Will she do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the support. I was really worried I would get blasted or completely ignored but the kudos, comments, and subscriptions proved I'm not as terrible at this as I thought. :) 
> 
> Just like the previous chapter, no Beta so expect some grammatical and spelling errors.

Over the next six hours, Clarke goes through almost all of the stages of grief for the life she was losing. 

**Denial**

“This is not happening. It’s all just a bad dream.”

**Anger**

“WE HAD A DEAL! I’m not supposed to have these types of responsibilities anymore. I’m supposed to ‘leave it to the adults’ and for once I ACTUALLY WANTED TO!”

**Bargaining**

“Maybe if I can find another suitable Ambassador, Kane will want to appoint them over me! OR what if I can make the case that they need me to stay and continue my training as a doctor. My mom isn’t getting any younger.”

**Depression**

“Why do I even bother? I’m Wanheda, harbinger of death. Everything I do leads to destruction, even my attempt at a somewhat normal life.”

Just when she was about to fully hit acceptance, something Kane said earlier finally clicks. She bolts from her quarters in search of the one person she could really talk to. The person who just a few hours earlier offered to help her clear her head. She needed to speak to Bellamy. 

Her first stop is the Guard Station where she is told Bellamy isn’t on duty. Just as she was bout to search somewhere else, Miller pipes up with a smirk. 

“He is probably doing a perimeter check. It’s the middle of the day and nothing is getting through, but he checks it around this time daily.”

With that, Clarke takes off for the fence and starts to follow it around the camp. Eventually, she sees Bellamy crouching near the ground with something in his hand. As she walks up, she realizes he is playing with little Hayley, the first child in Arkadia born on earth. She is kind of a celebrity in the camp. Everyone is enchanted with her, especially Bellamy. He tries to deny it, but as Clarke watches him play with her wooden horse making animal noises, she is reaffirmed it’s all an act. 

She intentionally makes some noise as she approaches. Bellamy glances over his shoulder and sees Clarke. He quickly rises, returns the horse to Hayley and starts brushing off his clothes covered in the dirt he picked up from playing on the ground. Clarke coughs to cover her smirk while sharing a knowing look with Hayley’s mother. 

“Hey Clarke. What’s up?

“I was wondering if I could take you up on that walk you mentioned earlier?” She asks.

“Uh, yeah…sure. Just let me run over to the Guard Station and let them know we’re leaving camp. Meet you at the gate in five.” He takes off at a slight jog and Clarke glances down at little Hayley who is holding up her wooden horse. Clarke grabs it and starts whinnying when she sees the initials B.B. carved into the belly. Bellamy Blake. He is such a goner. 

She meanders her way to the gate, not at all surprised to see Bellamy waiting ready to go. As she approaches she takes in his appearance. Dark pants that fit him just right, a perfectly worn Henley which clings to him just enough you can tell he has at least a six pack underneath, and his old worn guardsman coat. The one he wore when the dropship first landed and it was just the 100 fighting for survival. 

“You ready to go, Princess?”

Clark laughs, “That’s something I haven’t heard in a while.”

Bellamy smirks, “I figured it was time to bring it back.”

The two set out from the gates and head into the woods. They both start heading in the same direction without even speaking. Their heading towards their first home, the dropship. It’s almost an hours walk, and not an easy one at that, but it was their home. The place the 100 carved out for themselves in this crazy and dangerous new world. A home Bellamy and Clarke were integral in creating. 

They walk the entire way there in silence. All you can hear are the creatures of the woods stirring and the sound of the stream rushing by. It’s peaceful, something the two of them have come to appreciate. Once they arrive at their old camp, they head straight into the dropship. At first Clarke is overwhelmed by memories, Finn bleeding out on the table after being stabbed, trying to take care of everyone who is sick while being sick herself, pulling the lever to fire the engines and try to save them all. 

She takes another calming breath and the bad memories are replaced with good ones. Jasper figuring out how to cook gunpowder, Octavia standing in the middle of the room defending Lincoln and looking fierce and sure of herself while she does it. 

The two of them sit down and take it all in. Eventually Clarke speaks.

“I was thinking about what Kane said earlier, about the two of us being stronger together than apart. I think he’s right.”

Bellamy just looks at her waiting.

“Which is why I realize this isn’t my decision to make. It’s ours. If you don’t want to go, I’ll turn it down. If you want to go, I’ll accept.”

Bellamy sighs and cards his hand through his hair.

“Clarke, that’s not how direct orders work…”

“No, Bellamy hear me out. We are better together than apart, Kane isn’t going to send one of us without the other. You have a choice here.”

“Clarke…”

“I’m serious here. What do you want to do?”

He stays silent.

“Okay, fine. We’ll make a list, Pros and Cons.”

“You’re going to base this decision off of a list of supposed reasons for or against?” Bellamy asks.

“Well you’re not being particularly helpful, so yes, I’m going to make a list to make this decision. Okay, Pro’s. We get to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Con’s, we are going to have to deal with being part of something bigger than ourselves.”

“That’s helpful.”

Clarke ignores him and continues, “Pro, we both have the experience and connections to do this job well. Con, about half the coalition wants me dead.”

Bellamy finally contributes,” Pro, half the coalition realizes you saved their ass when their own night blood commander tried to kills us all.” 

Clarke looks at him for a second, “Pro, you might get to see Octavia.”

Bellamy freezes and looks directly at Clarke. After a moment he clears his throat. “You don’t know that.”

“No, but the chances of seeing your sister in Polis is significantly higher than staying here.” When Bellamy stays silent she continues, “Bellamy, she can’t come back to Arkadia. Not when walking through the front gate requires her to walk over the spot where Lincoln was killed.”

Bellamy gets up from the floor quickly and starts pacing, “This is a pointless exercise, Clarke. We both know you’re going to accept the posting. So why bother?”

“Bellamy, what do you want to do?”

He glances at her, “I already told you, I don’t have a say. My orders are to follow you. I do whatever you decide.”

Clarke groans in frustration and gets off the floor as well. If this argument is going to continue for more than two minutes, she was going to have a crick in her neck. 

“Bellamy, this is ridiculous. Just for a moment, act like you don’t have orders. What do you want to do?”

He starts pacing back and forth, almost as if he were trapped even though the dropship door is wide open. 

“Clarke…that’s not how it works.”

After allowing him a few more laps around the dropship, Clarke steps in front of him and puts her palms on his chest to stop him. 

“What is this really about? Why can’t you just say what you’re thinking?”

He opens his mouth a few times as if he wants to say something but words are failing him.

“What is it?!?”

“One of the last times I made a decision I helped slaughter 300 people, okay?!” he roars. “Do you know why I like being a guard? I get to do what I’m told. I don’t have to think; I don’t have to make difficult decisions. I just follow orders.”

Clarke takes both of his hands in hers and gives them a gentle squeeze. 

“Bellamy, look at me.”

After a moment he does.

“You know what else you’ve decided? You decided to save Indra from Pike. You decided to trick Pike and turned him in to the guard at Polis. You made the decision to fight to save everyone from Alie, and you decided to stay by my side when all hell broke loose while I was in the City of Light.” She pauses to take a breath. 

“Bellamy, you’ve made so many life or death decisions since that bad one.”

“Clarke, let’s not pretend it wasn’t a terrible decision.”

“No, it was. You know that and you’ve learned from it. You’re more cautious now and think things through before committing. Bellamy, you’ve grown. So tell me, what do you want to do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know Alie's name isn't consistently spelled anywhere? I checked episode descriptions, IMDB, no consistency anywhere. I opted for the spelling used on Erica Cerra's page. I figured if she is using it for her official works, it's good enough for this fanfic. 
> 
> Anyways, drop a comment or leave a kudos if you liked this chapter. Like I said above, I'm not really a writer and this is my first crack at creative writing. Any constructive criticism will be appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Bellamy have made their decision and end up stumbling upon something neither one of them really wanted to see. Well at least Clarke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long it's taken me to post this chapter. I was hoping to work on this a little bit while I was on vacation and ended up brainstorming a few one shots instead. Hope you enjoy.

Clarke and Bellamy walk back into Kane’s office together and end up walking in on something neither want to see, especially Clarke.

Before anyone can say anything, Bellamy grabs Clarke by the arm and drags her into the hallway slamming the door shut behind them.

“My eyes!”

“Clarke, calm down it’s not like we walked in on them having sex or anything.” Bellamy says trying to stifle a laugh.

“No, but it’s still a situation I don’t want to see. Imagine if it were your mom in there!”

“Okay, point taken.”

They both look at each other and start laughing. 

After a minute the door opens and Abby walks out straightening her shirt. Her face is entirely red from embarrassment and she refuses to make eye contact with either Clarke or Bellamy.

“You can come in now.” Comes from inside the office. Bellamy and Clarke hurry inside and shut the door behind them.

“Kane, I just wanted to say how sorry we are about just walking in without…” Clarke stops when Kane raises his hand.

“Let’s just pretend this never happened. I’m assuming you’ve made your decision Clarke?”

“We’ve made our decision” Clarke says pointing to both her and Bellamy.

“Ahh, so you got my little test.”

“Your test?”, “What test?” Bellamy and Clarke say at the same time.

“The two of you when you’re together are unstoppable. No one was able to defeat Alie until the two of you put aside your anger and started working together. The success of the original campsite was because the two of you and so was saving our people from Mount Weather. It’s when you’re apart you seem to get into trouble. That’s why I need both of you in Polis, you’ll balance each other out.”

Clarke and Bellamy exchange a look of shock. They’d been tricked without even knowing it.

“So tell me,” Kane continues, “What’s your decision?”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning after Kane was sworn in as Chancellor, Clarke and Bellamy are saddling up their horses to take them to Polis. Since it’s just the two of them they have to pack light so they can move quickly. While the coalition is currently at peace, there are still a few former members of the Ice Nation lurking in the woods hoping to cause trouble. Stumbling upon Bellamy and Clarke in the woods would be a prize for the criminals, something both wanted to avoid. 

Everyone is at the gate waiting to send them off. Abby has tears in her eyes as she hugs Clarke tight  
.  
“I just got my Clarke back. Don’t lose her while you’re in Polis.” Abby whispers.

“I won’t, Mom.”

Raven, not one for emotional scenes, hugs both Clarke and Bellamy and tells them both to not get killed while smirking. Bellamy nods over towards Jasper and Monty, who had already said their goodbyes. 

“Watch out for those two? They always seem to find trouble.”

“Hey! I resent that!” Jasper responds. He seems to also have found peace since the City of Light. He still misses Maya, but doesn’t need booze to hide the pain. 

With that, Bellamy and Clarke mount their horses and trot out the front gate. As they near the woods they both pause and turn towards the camp waving goodbye. Who knows the next time they will see their friends?

The first day of their ride was uneventful. Neither one of them spoke, lost in their own thoughts about what they left behind and what they were riding towards. As it grew closer to sundown, Bellamy announced it was time to stop and make camp. They rode around for a few more minutes until finding an outcropping of rocks perfect for shelter and easily defendable if they were attacked in the night. 

The two unpacked their saddle bags in silence, Bellamy pulling out the food supplies while Clarke worked on setting up the bedrolls and blankets. Eventually they had a fire going and the two were passing a pouch of deer jerky back and forth. 

“I wonder who is going to be in Polis” Clarke says to break the silence.

Bellamy just gives her a look and shrugs. “It doesn’t really matter to me, as long as they are willing to talk.”

“I know, but many of the old Ambassadors were killed after Ontari was chipped. Kane wanted me to become the Ambassador because I knew the players, but none of us realized a lot of the players have changed.”

“So you forge new relationships. You might be prickly, princess, but even you can make friends.”

“Still trying to bring back the nickname?”

Bellamy ignored her and continued. “Clarke, you’re going to find you have more influence than you think. Yes, you were Wanheda, but now you’re the one who saved us all.”

“I didn’t save us all, you were there. I had a lot of help.”

“Yes but you’re the one who entered the City of Light to defeat ALIE. It doesn’t matter who else was there, you had the attention of the room.”

Clarke looks at him for a second.

“Do you want to know why I’m calling you Princess again? It’s because of the image of you sitting on that throne. You had just been to hell and back to save the entire world, you were exhausted, yet still managed to look like you ruled all of us. Very regal. The way I imagine a princess in one of those stories would look like after she slayed her own dragons.” 

The two of them look back at the fire for two very different reasons. Clarke doesn’t know how to respond and Bellamy worries he may have overplayed his hand. After several minutes, Bellamy stands up.

“Look, all I’m saying is be confident in who you are. Kane selected you for a reason, he knows you can do this and so do I. And with that, I’m going to sleep. Don’t stay up too late, we have a long day of riding ahead of us.” 

Clarke nods and looks back at the fire. After another thirty minutes she too decides to go to sleep and lays down on her bedroll near Bellamy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Drop a comment or give some Kudos. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Bellamy make their way to Polis and meet the new Heda.

Bellamy awoke feeling Clarke’s back pressing into his chest. He could have sworn he fell asleep with her a good three feet closer to the fire. After spending a moment trying to figure out how they ended up in this position, just as he was about to lay his head down and go back to sleep, he hears her. 

“No. No. Please!”

Bellamy sit up quickly, scanning the surrounding woods for a threat, not finding any. 

“No! Mom, please! Don’t do this!”

He looks down at Clarke only to see her face full of anguish and tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“Clarke. Wake Up!” 

He grabs her shoulder and starts lightly stroking her arm, hoping to ease her out of the dream. Suddenly, she starts thrashing about, pulling against his hold. 

“Mom! No! Please, you can stop this! Please! Not Bellamy!” 

“Screw waking her up gently,” Bellamy mumbles to himself as he pulls her into a sitting position and frames her face with his hands. 

“Clarke! You have to wake up! NOW!” 

“Please, No! Please, No!” She keeps repeating over and over again like it’s a prayer.

“Clarke, baby. You’ve got to wake up! It’s just a nightmare. It’s not real! CLARKE!” 

Suddenly, her eyes spring open and he can see the pure panic in them before she realizes where she is. 

“Bellamy?”, she says shakily, voice thick with tears. 

“Shh, Clarke. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He starts pushing the hair back out of her face and using his thumbs to dry her eyes. 

“We were in the tower in Polis. My mom had ordered to bring you in to be tortured. I couldn’t get her to stop. They were hurting you and I couldn’t get them to stop. They were going to kill you!” Her voice is still shaky and filled with fear. 

“Clarke, it didn’t happen. I was never tortured. It was all just a dream.”

She rests her head against his chest for a moment. “I know, but it felt so real.” 

They sit that way for a while and slowly Bellamy feels Clarke’s breath start to even out and her pulse calm down. He pulls her away from his chest, making sure to keep his hands on her face so he can duck down and look her in the eye. 

“Do you think you can go back to sleep, Princess?” 

Clarke nods slowly, but he can see in her eyes her fear of the dream returning once she falls asleep. 

“Come on. Let’s lay down and try to get some rest. I’ll be right here to whole time.” 

They both lay down facing the fire, Clarke laying slightly in front of Bellamy. He puts his hand on her arm, as a way to reassure her. 

“I’ll be right here the whole time.” He reminds her again, “Besides, if anyone tries to torture me they will have to go through you first.”

Clarke blew out some air and chuckled at that. 

“You’re such a dork, Blake.” She said before grabbing his arm and wrapping it around her. 

They fall asleep that way, without any more nightmares. 

\---------

When Bellamy wakes the next morning, he finds Clarke wrapped around him. Her head resting on his chest, arm thrown over his torso, and leg wrapped around his. After enjoying their position for few minutes he decides it’s time for him to get up and start packing up the camp. Now he just has to figure out how to do that without waking her up. Given the nightmare she had, he wants her to sleep just a little bit more. 

As he starts to assess their position and find the best way to extricate himself he feels her stir. He holds his breath, hoping she snuggles back down and stays asleep, only to realize it’s too late. Clarke stiffens in his arms but then relaxes and burrows her head into his chest some more. 

“Well that’s interesting.” he thinks to himself. 

They lay that way for another five minutes before he says it’s time for them to pack up camp. Neither of them acknowledge the position they woke up in or the fact both of them consciously stayed in the position for an extended period of time. They have other things to focus on right now, like the rest of their trip to Polis. 

Lucky for the two of them, their second day of riding was just as uneventful as the first allowing them to arrive in the Grounder city well before dark. After walking their horses to the stable, and notifying a slave of their arrival, Clarke and Bellamy enter the tower. 

As soon as she walks through the doors Clarke freezes and looks around inundated with memories. Memories of Lexa, memories of what happened the last time she was in this building. Bellamy must have felt her hesitation because he is looking at her with questioning eyes trying to gauge her discomfort. 

“Are you okay?”

She takes a deep breath and nods before continuing their walk to the elevators. 

“Thank god they got the elevator working again. I was not looking forward to walking all the way up to the top.” Clarke thinks aloud.

“I don’t want to hear it. You’re talking to someone who climbed the elevator shaft to save you from a non-threat.” 

“Right.”

“You do know Raven helped them make the repairs, right? After we returned to Arkadia, Kane sent her with the delegation of our people to help with the recovery.”

“I knew we sent doctors because I had to cover their shifts and help our own people. I was so busy I didn’t even know she was gone.”

“Well you know Raven. She probably walked in, took one look at the thing and then whipped up some crazy contraption while calling everyone around her an idiot. She was gone for less than 72 hours.” 

As the elevator starts to rise, Clarke hears a familiar hum of electricity. Clearly Raven did more than just repair the elevator mechanism, she must have helped them build a generator to power the thing. It was smart, proving her intelligence to the Grounders. It will help Clarke do her job as Ambassador as they move forward with this reactor issue. 

When the elevator doors open on the top floor, the two of them are greeted by Puka, Luna’s new second. He is the one who controls who gets an audience with the Commander and who doesn’t. Definitely someone the two of them want to play nice with. 

“Please follow me this way.” Puka says indicating they follow him down the hallway. Both Bellamy and Clarke know how to get to the Throne Room but it’s the formality of the situation that forces them to fall in line. “We are very pleased to see you are joining us in Polis, Ambassador Wanheda.” Puka continues not noticing Clarke’s flinch at the nickname. “and of course I’m not surprised to see your trusty knight by your side.”

Before Clarke can respond to him the great double doors are hauled open by guards and they enter the Throne Room. It looks drastically different since they last time she was here, and it’s not just because the blood and dead bodies are gone. Clearly, Luna got right to work redecorating the place. 

The entire room is light and airy. It’s unclear if they created new windows or if someone just washed the them after almost 100 years. The walls are covered in a white gauzy fabric that flutter and float whenever there is a slight breeze. Clarke notices a glimmer on the curtain next to her and sees a very intricate Flame symbol stitched into the fabric in gold thread which perfectly matches the gold fabric draped over the throne. The entire room exudes calm and peace. Not surprising given the new Heda.   
“Commander, I wish to introduce the Ambassador from Arkadia, Wanheda, and her guard Bellamy Blake.” Puka announces providing the formal introduction not just to Luna but to her advisors spread throughout the room. 

The Commander stands from her throne and approaches the pair. The last time Clarke saw her, Luna had just beat the crap out of her and was devastated about losing her lover. This woman who was walking towards her carried herself with peace and grace, almost as if she were floating on the clouds that surround the tower on a foggy day. When she reaches Clarke, Luna grabs both of her hands and gives them a slight squeeze. 

“Greetings, Clarke and Bellamy kom Skaikru and welcome to Polis. I take it your travels were well?”

Clarke still in shock over the woman in front her is rendered speechless. Bellamy quickly takes over and clears his throat. “Yes, Commander. Our travels were fast and uneventful.” 

“Just what I want to hear. Clarke, I hope it’s okay if I use your given name and not the one given to you by my people. I want peace in the Coalition and your nickname is a reminder of the pain of the past. I hope you don’t mind.”

Clarke finally finds her voice. “No Commander, that’s perfectly fine. I actually prefer people use my given name. I’m not a fan of Wanheda or who I became because of it.” She looks the Commander straight in the eye. “Speaking of, I was hoping to offer my sincerest apologizes for trying to trick you into taking the Flame. I wanted to save our people, but violating your free will…”

“All is forgiven.” Luna interrupts, “Having now taken the Flame, I understand now more than ever what you were facing when you asked for my help and what you faced after I refused. I am sorry for not stepping up to what was my birthright, but we must focus not on the past but on our future.”

“Or what future we have left.” Bellamy mumbles before Clarke elbows him quickly in the gut.

“No, he’s right. We need to work together to stop this problem. I’m looking forward to what contributions the 13th Clan will provide to the Coalition.” Luna quickly waves her hand to the people standing behind Clarke and Bellamy who apparently had carried what luggage they brought into the Throne Room. “Please, follow me. I’m sure even with an uneventful ride the two of you would like some rest before dinner this evening.” 

Luna takes them down the hall to a room with an ornately carved wooden door and pushes it open. She points to a door off to the right and lets Bellamy know his room is through there. “As her guard you have access to her room in case of an emergency.” Luna says to Bellamy. 

Knowing he is being dismissed, he heads towards the door and looks back at Clarke who is frozen in place. He raises his eyebrow at her but she nods that she’ll be okay before he ducks out of the room. 

“I know this is the room you were in the last time you stayed in Polis, Clarke.” Luna says to her quietly.

“The flame.” Clarke says understanding how Luna would know that information. 

“I have the consciousness of all of the past Commanders in my head, including Lexa.” Luna walks over to Clarke and pushes a lock of hair out of her face to behind her ear. Clarke looks devastated and isn’t aware she is crying until Luna wipes a tear from her cheek. “She loved you Clarke but she doesn’t want you to punish yourself. You showed her it was okay to love and lead with her heart. The last thing she is going to want you to do is close yourself off to those around you.” 

“I just miss her so much.” Clarke whispers shakily. 

“She misses you too, but she is gone and you are not. She wants you to live, Clarke, really live. So help me stop these reactors so you can go do that.” Luna says before walking out of the room leaving Clarke to her thoughts. 

Clarke takes a deep breath as she walks towards the bed. While Lexa didn’t die in this room, her last happy memory of the former Commander took place on this bed. 

“It’s a different mattress.” 

Clarke jumps and spins around unaware someone else has entered the room. She sees a girl, no more than fifteen, walk towards her carrying her bags. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” The girl says, “I’m Heather. I’ve been assigned to help you and your guard settle in.”

Clarke shakes her head trying to clear all of the memories and focus on the young girl in front of her. “Heather. That’s an old name.”

“There was a field of heather near my village where my mom would go for peace. Apparently, I was an active baby, constantly kicking her during her pregnancy, except when she was in that field.” The girl says with a wistful smile. 

“Did she take you there a lot after you were born?” Clarke asks.

“No. She died during childbirth, but my father took me as did my older brother.” 

“I’m sorry.” Clarke rushes. “I didn’t mean to assume.”

The girl quickly waves her off. “Death in childbirth is fairly common where I’m from. We were a poor village and the best healers would go to villages where they could earn more. I’ve brought you your bags.” The girl says changing the subject. “Will you need assistance dressing for the Welcome Feast tonight?”

Clarke thought about her dress for the evening. As part of her efforts to embrace the differences of all 13 clans, Luna decided to hold a large feast for the Ambassadors. The dress code was more formal than what Clarke had seen in the past, and everyone was told to wear the formal attire of their clan’s culture. For most of the clans, Clarke assumed, it meant wearing something a little nicer than their usual Grounder attire. For Clarke and Bellamy, it meant wearing the black tie attire people used to wear during fancy events on Alpha station. Clarke and Bellamy tried to reason with Kane and Abby about wearing something a little less…flashy, but both insisted they needed to honor the request of the new Commander even if they stuck out. 

“No thank you. I should be fine.” Clarke shivers as a draft comes through the room. 

“It’s starting to get colder and the rooms this high up are more likely to get cold at night. I’ll show you where the supplies are to start a fire in your fireplace. One of us should have it lit before you return every night, but you’ll need to stoke it before going to bed if you don’t want to freeze while you sleep.” 

Heather quickly shows Clarke where everything is before leaving her to get ready for the dinner. The last thing Clarke wants to do is put on the dress her mother insisted she bring for this thing, so she kills time sketching the view from her window. She is surprised how far she can see, but then again the last time she was here she didn’t have much time to take in the view. 

She must have sketched for longer than she wanted because all of a sudden she notices the sun is about to set and her neck is killing her from hunching over her sketch pad for too long. 

“I guess it’s time to put this thing on.” She says to herself as she makes her way across the room to the bag laying on her bed. Slowly, she pulls out the gown, hoping it’s not too wrinkled from her journey. Why someone needed to bring a full length gown into space is beyond Clarke. She understood how, after being stranded up there because of the nuclear fallout, the last grounders started to create a society of sorts on the Ark. But they were scientists originally for god sake! Did some of the women think they would have a formal day at work and all wear their gowns to the lab? Clarke chuckles to herself at the image of a woman wearing a lab coat over a gown while staring at a petri dish. 

The gown itself is beautiful. It’s an Atelier Versace, like that means anything to Clarke but according to her mother it means it was expensive when it was first created. The black gown was originally her mother’s which means it hugs every single one of Clarkes curves, without making her look like it’s too small. The asymmetrical neckline and backless bodice makes her arms look firm and strong while the high waisted belt gives off the appearance that Clarkes legs are much longer than they are. Of course, the heels she is borrowing from her mother help make her legs look even longer. 

She quickly knots her hair in a loose bun at the nape of her neck, allowing for some of her blonde curls to frame her face. The perk of having slightly curly hair is you can throw it up and it can still look effortless. After pulling on the gown, she realizes her mistake in telling Heather she doesn’t need help, she can’t reach the zipper. 

Of course Bellamy chooses to walk in right at that moment. 

“Clarke, I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he says struggling with the tie around his neck, “but I need your…whoa.” He stops in his tracks taking Clarke in. “You look…nice.”

“You don’t look too bad yourself. Can you help me with the zipper?” Clarke says turning her back towards him. 

“Uh…yea. Yeah. I can…uh…help.” Bellamy quickly walks over and starts zipping her up. His fingers brush Clarkes back as he hooks the top and she shivers slightly at his touch. 

“Sorry, my fingers must be a little cold.” He says before taking a step back allowing Clarke to turn around and face him. “I’ve…I’ve never worn one of these before.” He says lamely holding up the tie in his hand. 

“We never had reason to dress up like this on Factory Station. I had to borrow this from Miller’s dad.” 

“This is David Miller’s suit?” Clarke asks skeptically. It’s not that she doesn’t believe him, but the suit fits Bellamy body perfectly and David Miller does not look anything like Bellamy.

“It was his when he was younger. He kept it for Nate, but he went to the Sky Box before he could use it.” Bellamy explains. “So the tie, can you help?”

“You’re in luck! My dad insisted on teaching me how to tie a tie.” Clarke says as she struggles to fasten the top button on Bellamy’s shirt. “Well, actually, it’s more like I forced him into teaching me after I wrinkled too many of his ties pretending I knew what I was doing before he went to one of the Council Gala’s.” 

“Ties? As in more than one?”

“Yeah. My dad had a sense of humor.” Clarke insists as she continues to struggle with the button. “He collected them, especially the ones with really bad patterns or terrible jokes.” 

“Are you trying to choke me?” Bellamy asks before stepping back from her. “Do I really need to have the top button done?”

Clarke rolls her eyes. “Yes, you’re supposed to, but if you’re going to be that much of a baby…it’s not like the Grounders are going to know the difference.” She loops the tie over his head and starts working on a Half Windsor knot. 

“I’ve seen this dress before.” Bellamy says after a moment of silence. Clarke just raises an eyebrow in question. “I remember my mom and Octavia spending days trying to hem the bottom. They did it all by hand to make sure the fabric didn’t snag.” 

“Oh.” 

Bellamy nods. “I remember Octavia putting it on one day, standing on a stack of my books, so Mom could make sure it was being hemmed evenly without destroying the train.” He smiles at the memory. “She twirled around the apartment after my mom was done, insisting she was a princess and demanding I dance with her.” He lapses into silence with a smile still on his face, but sadness in his eyes. 

“You’ll see her again, Bellamy. I know you will.” Clarke says stroking the tie to lay flat on his chest. He looks down at her and for a second she can see all of the pain he has been hiding behind his walls over the last few weeks. Before she can say anything to try and ease his pain, Bellamy clears his throat and steps back, closing himself off again. 

“How do I look, Princess?” 

“Not too bad…” She says before stepping up and pulling the tie off of him. “but Rebel Kings don’t wear ties. You look more comfortable without it and like I said, the Grounders won’t know the difference.”

Bellamy laughs at that, allowing the tension from a moment ago to leave him. He turns towards the door and offers his arm. 

“You ready Princess?”

“Shouldn’t it be Ambassador now?”

“No. You’ll always be Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is an image of the gown I was envisioning for Clarke. It's the dress Jennifer Garner wore to the 2016 Oscars. 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! Kudos and comments are most welcome. I <3 and appreciate constructive criticism.
> 
> I have the entire story mapped out right now, but it sometimes evolves if I disagree with my original outline.


End file.
